Improvement in car-brakes



F. L. KIRTLEY.

Gar-Brake. I

No. 164,009. Pate,ntedJune1,1875.

WITNESSES: um 4%; M t, i. M?

THE GRAPHIC C0.PHOT0-L TH.39 8.4! PARK, PLAOE,N.Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

FIELDING L. KIRTLEY, OF GLEBURNE, TEXAS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-BRAKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 164,009, dated June 1,1875; application filed April 14, 1875.

CASE B.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, FIELDING L. KIRTLEY, of Oleburne, in the county ofJohnson and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved AutomaticOar-Brake; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 is a plan view with portion broken away; Fig. 2, a vertical endview.

The object of this invention is to provide a means for the automaticapplication of brakes to the cars of a railway-train; and it consists ina loosely-moving draw-bar attached to the car by means of bolts passingthrough a central longitudinal slot, and having its sides wrought intotwo rack-bars, which mesh with pinions upon two Windlass-shafts; whicharrangement, when the locomotive is slowed, causes the impact of thecars to drive up the draw-bars and wind up cords upon thewindlass-shafts, which communicate with and apply the brakes to thewheels.

The invention also consists in the combination, with the rack-bar, of alocking device to prevent the application of brakes in backing; and in adevice for maintaining the brakes applied when stopping upon an incline.

1n the drawing, A represents the frame of a railway-car, and B are thewheels. 0 are the brake-levers carrying brake-shoes a, and pivoted tothe frame-timbers D. E are ropes or chains attached to the ends of thebrakelevers, and wound upon the Windlass-shafts F. Said shafts have atthe topthe pinions G G, in between which and meshing with the same,moves the draw-bar H. Said draw-bar has a longitudinal slot, b, and isheld to the frame by bolts 0 a passing through said slot. The sides ofsaid draw-bar are wrought into racks I, which gear with the pinions forthe application of the brakes. By this arrangement the draw-bars whenunder a draft or traction have no other effect except to draw the cars;but when the locomotive is slowed or its brakes applied, the efl'ect ofthe concussion orimpact of all of the draw-bars of the train is to turnthe pinions, wind up the cords, and to simultaneously apply all of thebrakes of the train.

To provide for the backing of the train and prevent the application ofthe brakes, I employ a set of cams or locking-levers, J, which whenbrought against the rack of the draw bar prevent the same from beingdriven back. To said cam I attach a connecting rod or link, d, andfasten the latter to the crank of a vertical shaft, K, carrying ahand-wheel, L, by means of which the cam may be applied or removed atwill, the said vertical shaft being provided with a ratchet-wheel andpawl, f, to maintain the draw-bar in its locked position. In stoppingupon a grade, moreover, the cars are liable to start on the retrogrademotion from their own gravity upon the incline, the weight of the carspulling out the draw-bars after the first impact, and thereby releasingthe brakes. To provide for this difficulty, I attach to one or all ofthe Windlass-shafts a ratchet-wheel, M, and a spring-seated pawl, N,provided with a suitable handle whereby the brakes are looked after theyare applied.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. Theslotted draw-bar H, having racks I, in combination with the Windlassshaft F, pinion G, the brake-lever G, and the connecting cord or chain,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the draw-bar H, of the locking-cams J, theconnecting-link cl, the vertical shaft K provided with a handwheel, andthe ratchet and pawl f, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

F. L. KIRTLEY.

Witnesses Some: 0. KEMON, OHAs. A. PETTIT.

